2019 Giro d'Italia could climb the legends of the Mortirolo, Gavia and Manghen

Italian newspaper La Stampa has published details of what it believes will be the 2019 route ahead of the official announcement

The Giro d'Italia 2019 will officially start on Saturday, 11 May, in Bologna, with a time trial to the summit of the San Luca climb used recently in the Giro dell’Emilia.

Part of the agreement with Emilia Romagna region is Stage 9 a hilly 35 km time trial from Riccione to San Marino, and stage 10 is expected to be a flat Sprinters stage from Ravenna to Modena.

La Stampa has gone a step further using local reports and estimated what it believes will be next years route, finishing in Verona's Roman amphitheatre with a 15km time trial.

According to La Stampa, the 102nd edition of Italy's biggest stage race will start in Bologna and head south into Tuscany with stages finishing in Fucecchio and Orbetello, Frascati and Sabaudia.

Touted as the highest climb in next year's edition is the climb of Puglia to San Giovanni Rotondo on Stage 6.

Stage 7 turns north on a rather demanding route with a stage finish in L'Aquila, ten years after the terrible earthquake of 2009.

La Stampa guesses Stage 8 will be entirely on the Marche coast arriving in Pesaro, ending the first week with the officially presented Stage 9, 35 km time trial from Riccione to San Marino.

After the first rest day, there will be two Sprint stages to Ravenna and Novi Ligure, before entering the toughest part of the race.

Mortirolo, Gavia and Manghen amongst the legendary climbs

As the race heads into the Alps in the second week, Stage 12 on Thursday, May 23, may be one of the most awaited stages. Starting in Cuneo and finishing in Pinerolo, it will be a tribute to Campionissimo Fausto Coppi and his legendary feat in the Giro of 1949, when he won after a solitary escape of 192 km. The route, however, may not faithfully recreate the momentous feat by Coppi, instead entering the French Alps with the iconic climbs of the climbs to Vars, Izoard and Monginevro, with the possibility of returning via the Colle delle Finestre used last May.

Stage 13 the day after, will enter the Piedmontese mountains arriving atop the Lake Serrù dam, at over 2,200 metres high and could feature the Colle del Nivolet which features 30 stunning hairpin bends.

Three tough sucessive mountain stages will be topped off with a stage starting in Saint Vincent climbing the Colle San Carlo and finishing in Courmayer.

The second week will end with the stage to Como that will use part of the route of the Tour of Lombardy.

After the second rest day, the third week will start with a bang on Stage 16, with the brutal and legandary climbs of the Gavia and Mortirolo to descend to the finish in Ponte di Legno.

Stage 17 to Anterselva should be a easier stage, while Stage 18 to Santa Maria di Sala should be one for the Sprinters or a breakaway

The last two days of high mountains will include the climb of the Rolle to San Martino di Castrozza on Stage 19.

Stage 20 will see the final uphill battle, starting in Feltre then stage will include the climbs of the Passo Manghen, Passo Rolle and finish on the climb of Croce d'Aune.

Stage 21's grand finale will be a third time trial around Verona on the Torricelle circuit, finishing in the Roman amphitheatre after 15 kms.

This is of course speculation, ahead of the official announcement later this month.